Full fashioned circular knitting machine



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Z'mnentorS .Tamv LAWSflAC )Poaa THZAWSOM By 22 ml-5% attorney Jan. 17, 1939. J. LAWSON ET AL FULL FASHIONED CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 6, 1932 wdbpw mmnik mm hu B05227 Lam Jug By 0 T, ATTy Jan. 17, 1939; JLAWSON ETA 2,143,952

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H MW By (7/ 2Y3 ATTy Patented Jan. 17, 1939 rum. FASHIONED CIRCULAR KNITTING momma:

John Lawson, Bristol, and Robert H. Lawson,

Pawtucket, It. 1., assignors to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. 1., a. corporation of Massachusetts Application September 6, 1932, Serial No. 631,844

21 Claims.

This invention relates to a new improved stocking or half hose as well as to methods of and mechanisms for knitting the same. As hereinafter to be more fully described the stocking or half hose is, preferably, to be knitted on a machine of the type disclosed in the patent to Hemphill, 933,443, Sept. 7, 1909, although the invention may be practiced on other types of knitting machines. 1

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation showing a knittin machine adapted to knit a stocking in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described.

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a is a detail view taken on line 20-2 Fig. 2; I

Fig. 3 is a plan view and partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, elevational view partly in section; i

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 but with certain parts removed and showing the various cams for controlling the movements of the needles;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing more in detail the mechanism shown at the right of Fig. 1 and above the circular base;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View of the pick block, 1. e., the support for one of the two widening picks which effect the widening of the fabric in a manner hereinafter to be described;

' Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing the needle actuating cams at the main feed station;

Fig. 10 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 16-40, Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line l2, Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a view partly in section showing the driving connections between, the belt pulleys and the main shaft of the machine, which shaft drives a the needle cylinder;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the hand wheel shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a view showing a gear train;

Fig. 16 is a view of a stocking blank knitted in accordance with methods hereinafter to be described;

Fig. 17 is a view showing a portion of the fabric blank shown in Fig. 16 after a cutting operation has been performed;

Fig. 18 is an edge view of the fabric shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the needle cylinder showing the arrangement of long butt, medium long butt, medium short butt, and Short butt nee dles used to effect the knitting of the stocking blank, Fig. 16;

Fig. 20 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing the long and medium long butt needles having been elevated to an inoperative position preparatory to the knitting of waste courses on the short butt needles at the main feeding station; i

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 20 and showing the short butt needles only lmitting at the main feeding station, the view showing the needles at the end of one reciprocating stroke;

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 21 but showing the needles at the end of their movement in the direction of rotation of the needle cylinder oppo site to that indicated in Fig. 21;

Figs. 23, 23a, 24 and 24a show the widening picks in operation;

Fig. 25 is a view showing the needles knitting split work and at the end of the movement of the needle cylinder in the direction indicated by the arrow;

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 25 but showing the needles at the end of the other or reverse stroke of the needle cylinder; and

Fig. 27 is a fragmentary view, the center guard cam at the main feeding station being in a retracted position, the medium long butt needles at such time knitting at the two auxiliary or side feeding stations.

The knitting machine which is indicated generally by the numeral 1, is provided with aneedle cylinder 2 slidable within the tricks or grooves of which are spring beard or other needles 3, which needles, Fig. 19, consist of two groups 4, 4' of one hundred and twenty long butt needles which groups of needles are separated atone end by a gap or space 5 in the needle cylinder. At the other end of each long butt series are positioned twenty medium long butt needles 6, 6. Between the two sets of needles 6 and 6 are positioned eighty short butt needles 1 which include two medium short butt needles 8 and 8' the latter being suture needles or needles that join the fabric sections knitted by the'needles l' at the main feeding station and by the medium long butt needles 6 and 6 at the auxiliary feeding stations, the joining of the three fabric sections being effected in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described. Surmounting and movable with the needle cylinder is a sinker head 9 within which are mounted sinkers (not shown) which sinkers function in the usual manner to assist in the formation of stitches. The needle cylinder 2 is mounted for reciprocatory movements within a so-called circular base I0 and to effect such movements a bevel gear 10' (Fig. 13) is afiixedto the lower portion of the needle cylinder. To one end of the driving shaft ll of the with and drives the bevel gear I0.

In Figs. 1, 2, 13, 14 and 15 means are shown for imparting operating movements to the needle cylinder and otherwise controlling the operations of the machine. At one end of the machine (Figs. 1 and 13) are shown a pulley l2, a pulley l3, and a loose pulley l5 mounted upon a shaft ll. Loosely mounted upon the shaft ll adjacent to one end thereof. is a hand wheel l5 which may be operated manually to turn the shaft H by means of the clutch connection H5. The pulley l2 as by means of screw I! is connected to a spur gear 18, the hubof which loosely surrounds an inner sleeve 59 which in turn is mounted upon the shaft l l. The teeth of the gear l3 mesh with the teeth of a gear 25 fast to a shaft 25 which is supported in bearings in the frame of the machine. To the other end of the shaft 21 is fixed a gear 22 which meshes with an idler gear 23 which in turn meshes with a gear 24. The gear 24 meshes with a gear 25 which is fast to the sleeve [9. The teeth of the gear 25 are wide and in addition to meshing with the teeth of the gear 24 they also mesh with the teeth of the 104 gear 26. Projecting laterally from one face of the gear 26 (Fig. 2) is a stud 2i to which is pivoted a link 28 which at its other end is pivotally connected to a bell crank lever which constitutes the so-called quadrant 29 which quadrant lever is provided with two arms 36 and 3! (Fig. 13) integral with which are segmental gears 32 and 33 respectively. The gear 32 meshes with a small gear 34 and the gear 33 meshes with a relatively large gear 35. When the driving belt is shifted from pulley l3 to pulley l2 as when beginning the knitting of the leg of the stocking after the knitting of split work, a clutch lever 35 which is pivoted intermediate its ends to a suitable part of the machine frame, is shifted from a position where the clutch face 31 of a clutch connected to lever 36, and slidable on shaft l I, is in engagement with a companion clutch face 38 forming part of the gear 35, to the position shown in Fig. 13 where the other clutch face 39 of, the clutch connected to the lever 36 is in engagement with the clutch face 40 forming part of gear 34. The shifting of the clutch lever 36 in the manner aforesaid is coincident with the shifting of the belt (not shown) from the pulley l3 to the pulley 12. It will be seen from inspection of Fig. 13 that the segmental gear 33 is mounted on a shorter arm than is the segmental gear 32 and as a consequence thereof the are through which the quadrant. lever 29 swings imparts a relatively short throw tothe segmental gear 33, and consequently to shaft II, which is desirable during the knitting of split work when the needles are not required to reciprocate through approximately one and one-third times the distance measured by the circumference of the needle cylinder which is desirable when knitting the leg of. the stocking.- On the other hand, the segmental gear 32 being mounted upon a relatively longer arm and the meshing gear 34 being smaller than the gear 35, the shaft H is reciprocated through a greater are and consequently the needle cylinder is reciprocated through approximately one and one-third revolutions thereof. Furthermore, the gear trains connecting the gears 32, 33 and their respective pulleys cause the needles to travel relatively to their operating cams at approximately the same speed when split-work is being knitted as when the leg is being knitted.

The driving connections between the pulleys .machine is affixed a bevel gear H which meshes and the needle cylinder and other operating parts of the knitting machine, just referred to, have been described by way of example only, it being understood that any suitable form of driving connection may be adopted either with a single driving pulley operating at all times or with any desired number of drivingpulleys.

In Figs. 1-6 inclusive are shown three feeding stations, including a main feeding station 4! and supplemental feeding stations 42 and 43. At the main feeding station are shown five thread or yarn levers 44, 45, 46, ll and 48; at supplemental feeding station 42 are shown yarn levers 49, 50 and El; and at feeding station 43 are shown yarn levers 52, 53 and 54. All of the said yarn levers are mounted upon a common pivot pin 55 which itself is supported by two upstanding ears or lugs 56, 51 projecting upwardly from the yarn lever bracket or plate 58. As most clearly shown in Fig. 4, the plate 58 is pivoted to a supplemental yarn carrying bracket or plate 59 by means of a pin itself mounted in lugs such as 6| upstanding from the plate 59, which plate is affixed to the yarn lever box 62. Each of the yarn levers hereinbefore mentioned is provided with an extension 53 the underside or face of which is normally engaged by means of an arm of a lever 64 which is pivotally mounted upon a pin 55 itself supported by lugs such as Bl. The other arm of each lever 54 has connected thereto a pin or screw 66 to which is connected one end of a coil spring 57, the other end of such spring being connected as at 68 to the plate 59. As will be evident from inspection of Fig. 4 of the drawings, springs 61, levers 64, etc., tend to cause their respective yarn levers to remain in the operative position shown in Fig. 4.. If it be desired to raise a yarn lever to an inoperative position, a lever such as the lever 59, I

Fig. 4, is rocked by means of a wire (not shown) which engages in a notch ill and causes the lever 69 to be rocked upon its pivot 1| thereby elevating the'other end of such lever which by engaging the underface of the yarn lever causes the feeding end thereof to be elevated to an inoperative position.

Spring actuated detents such as 12 (Figs. 1 and 3) may be provided to engage in recesses in the side faces of the plate 58 so as to lock or retain the said plate in its operative position shown in Fig. 4.

The free ends of the yarn levers are provided with eyelets through which the threads or yarns pass to the needles 3. The yarn levers 44, 45, 46, 41 and 48 rest upon plate 13 when in an operative position. Said plate 13 is a part of the bracket 58 and performs the function of the usual mouthpiece at the main feeding station, being adjustplates 18 and 19 are attached bymeans of screws 80, 8| to the ends of arms constituting portions of the plate or bracket 58.

In Figs. 1, 2, 6-12 inclusive and Figs. 20-27 inclusive, are shown cams, etc. for determining the character of fabric to be knitted. Cooperating with the yarn levers at the main feeding station 4| are a series of cams 84. 85, 86, 87, 88,

09, 90, 9|, 92, 93, 94 and 95 the outwardly extending plates or extensions of the cams, which plates are referred to respectively by the numerals 84', 85', 88, 89', 90', 92' and 93, being connected to and carried by a cam block 96 which together with a pick block 91 is fastened to a cam ring or plate 98. Attached to and depending from the cam ring or plate 98 is a bracket 99 which is connected to a bar I00 (Fig. 1) which is sup-. ported for sliding movements in any suitable manner. Connected to the sliding bar I00 in any suitable manner is the main fashioning bracket IOI which is provided with a series of cams or lugs as I02 adapted to be engaged by cams such as I03 for the purpose of determining the length of stitch to be knitted at the main side or feeding station of the machine. The cam I03 is rigidly mounted upon and turns with the main drum shaft I04.

The shaft I04 is periodically advanced in any desired manner the advancing movements of the said shaft being controlled through the instrumentality of a pattern chain I05 common to Banner machines.

Cams 84, 85 and 88, (Fig. 10) are retained in position on the cam block 96 as'by means of screws I 06 which rigidly connect the earns 84 and 85 in position adjacent to the needle cylinder, the screws 'I06 passing through extensions 84' and 85' of the respective cams. Screws I06 also pass through a plate I01, preferably integral with plate 85, which plate is received within a slot I08 provided in the extension 88' of the cam 88, the plate I01 acting as a stop, to limit the sliding movements which are impartedto the cam 88 by means of any suitably operated link I09 which is pivotally connected to the free end of the extension 88' as by means of a screw H0. The plate I0! also serves to maintain the cam plate 85 at a sufficient elevation to prevent the binding of the cam plate 88' by the screws I06. The cam plates 89 and 90' are retained in a fixed position with respect to the cam block 96 as by means of shouldered screws III and H2 respectively, the shoulders of which screws engage the upper faces of the respective cam plates 89 and 90' as shown in Fig. 12. The upper portions of the screws III and I I2, above the shoulders thereof, are received within the slots H3 and H4 in the respective cam plates 92' and 93', thereby permitting the said plates 92 and 93' or either of them to be moved radially to and from a position adjacent to the needle cylinder. In order to-efiect the radial movement of the cams 92 and 93 their extensions are provided with upstanding pins H5 and IIS respectively, which are received within elongated slots" II! and H8 (Fig. 6), respectively, the said slots being provided in a transversely extending bar I I9 to the ends of which links I20and I2I are connected intermediate their ends. As will be seen most clearly by referring to Fig. 7 the link or lever I2I is pivotally connected at I22 to bell crank lever "I23 which latter is rigidly connected to a pin I24 which passes through the yarn lever box I32. At the other side of the yarn lever box the link I20 is pivotally connected at I25 to a link I26 which at its lower end is also rigidly connected to the pin I24, bearings for the pin I24 being pro- Thementioned cams on the drum I29 permits a suitable spring (not shown) to act upon the cams I41, I41 hereinafter to be described as well as the cams 92 and 93 to position the said cams adjacent to the needle cylinder at the beginning of split work knitting, the mentioned cams on the cam drum I29 causing the cams I41, I41, 92 and 93 to be retracted at the completion of split work knitting. During the knitting of split work the bell crank lever I23 is actuated during each complete back and forth traverse or reciprocation of the needle cylinder, the periodic actuation being effected by any suitable means (not shown) preferably controlled from the quadrant 29.

In Figs. 1, 6, '7 and 8 are shown the construction of the widening picks and the means for operating the same; in Figs. 23, 23a, 24 and 2411. their operation is illustrated. The pick block 91 to which reference has hereinbefore been made is duplicated at the other side of the main cam block being there indicated by the numeral 91. As the operation of the twp widening picks is identical excepting that they are operative on reverse strokes of the needle cylinder, the construction and operation of but one pick will be described. The windening pick I30 is provided with a narrow notch I3I said notch being of a width to receive a single needle butt so as to pick down single needles only during the widening or fashioning of the stocking blank. The pick is pivotally mounted in the pick bracket 91 in the manner shown in Fig. 8, and a spring I32 which encircles the post or screw shank I33 has one end thereof connected to a pin I34 (Fig. 6) upstanding from the shank of the pick I30, the spring I 32 tending to maintain the pick I30 in the elevated, operative position'shown in Fig. 7.

The pick I30 is shown, Fig. 7, seated within a recess provided in the lower face or edge of the cam 84 in which position the recess I3I is in the path of the advancing needle butts which are acted upon in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described. As hereinbefore stated the spring I32 retains the pick in the position shown in Fig. '7 and at the completion of each one of the several fashioning operations it is necessary that the pick I30 be moved to an inoperative position, i, e., where it will notact upon the advancing needle butts. For the purpose ofwithdrawing the pick I30 from the position shown in Fig. '7, means are provided consisting of a pin I35 which normally is maintained in a retracted position by means of a spring I36 which at one end engages the outer face of a recessed plate I31 and at its other end engages an adjacent face of a plate I38. To the upper end of the plate I38 the pin I35 is fixed passing from the said plate in the direction of the needle cylinder and through a long bearing in tube I39 which constitutes the upper portion of the plate I31. The bearing I39 provides a suitable means for guiding the movements of the pin to and from a position adjacent to the pick- I30. Connected to the yarn lever box 62 as by means of screws I40 is a bracket I4I which carries a pin I42 upon which is mounted a bell-crank lever I43 one arm thereof being in engagement arm of the bell-crank lever is notched as at I44 within which notch is seated a depending wire or other link I45 which link I45, is suitably connected to a lever in turn acted slpon by acam carried by the drum I29. When it is dpmirable to withdraw the pick I30 from the operativenposi tion shown in Fig. '7, the link I45 ismoved downwardly through the connections justldescribed, whereupon the bell-crank lever I43 is rocked and 65 with the outer face of the plate I38. The others:

the plate I38 is moved inwardly, i. e., toward the needle cylinder and against the compression tension of the spring I36. Inward movement of the plate I 38 carries the pin I35 against an angularly extending arm I46 of the pick I30, the result being that the pick I30 is rocked upon its pivot and against the tension of the spring I32. otal movement imparted to the pick I30 retracts the said pick from its operative position shown in Fig. '7, the pick then remaining in its inoperative position until it is desirable to renew the Widening of the fabric when the link I is permitted to rise, thereby releasing the pick I30 and permitting the spring I32 to move the pick to the position shown in Fig. '7.

The cams at the feed station 42 are duplicated at the feed station 43 and in the following description the cams at the feed station 42 only will be described, the corresponding parts at the feed station 43 being indicated by corresponding and prime reference characters. The construction and operation of the cams at the auxiliary feed station 42 are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6, 20, 22, 25 and 26. The center guard cam I41 is positioned between two side, stitch drawing cams I48 and I49 which latter cams are stationarily mounted with respect to the needle cylinder as by means of screws I50 and I5I which screws pass through the cams I48 and I49 and into threaded engagement wtih the block I52. Upstanding from the cam I41 is a pin I53 which passes through a slot I54 provided in the outer end of the arm I2| hereinbefore described. It will be evident from the construction shown in Fig. 6 that the withdrawal of the cams 92 and 93 occasions the withdrawal of the cam I41 as well as its counterpart I41 at the auxiliary side 43. Fixed cams I55, I56 are positioned adjacent to the cams I48, I49 respectively the said cams I55, I56 having the function of the cams 94 and 95 at the main feeding station, namely,-that of restoring needles to a partially elevated position after they have been fully retracted by a stitch drawing cam.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 the cam block I52 is attached at both ends thereof to a plate I51 as by means of cleats I58 and I59, screws passing through the cleats and into the plate I51. The cleat I59 extends upwardly from the block I52 as at I60 terminating in a horizontally extending portion I6I provided with a groove which slidably receives and guides'the rod or link I2I.

For the purpose of adjusting or changing the lengths of the stitches to be knitted by the needles at the auxiliary feeding stations 42, 43 the plates I51, I51 are fastened to a bracket I62 which in turn is connected to a right-angled bracket I63, the depending end of which has adjustably mounted thereincams or followers I64 which are periodically engaged by means of cams carried upon a disc or drum I65 which disc or drum is rigidly mounted upon the shaft I04 and turns therewith. The brackets I62, I63, etc. are connected to a rod I66 slidably supported in suitable brackets.

Midway between the auxiliary feed stations 42 and 43 and directly opposite" the main feed station 4| there is positioned a cam I68 which is moved to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 immediately upon completion of the last course of the widening portion of the leg and prior to the beginning of the knitting of the next stocking on the short butt needles only, the cam I68 immediately after moving the long butt needles to an inoperative position as aforesaid, being re- The pivtracted to such a radial position as not to be in the path of the long butts. As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the cam I68 is rigidly connected to a block I69 which is mounted for vertical movements between uprights constituting a bracket I10 which uprights are fastened to a plate H! in turn supported by and connected to the circular base I8 as by means of uprights I12. Connected to the outer face of the block I69 as by means of a screw I13 is a link I14 which passes through the plate HI and at its lower end is pivotally connected at I15 to a bell-crank lever I16, the lower end of which is pivotally connected at I11 to a link I18 which is automatically controlled at desired times by suitable cams upon the drum I29, the connections between the link I18 and drum I28 not being shown.

In Figs. 16, 17 and 18 views of the stocking blank knitted in accordance with the methods hereinafter to be more fully described is shown.

.The selvaged stocking blank which is indicated generally by the numeral I19 consists of a few waste courses I 89 knitted at feeding station 4| upon the eighty short butt needles 1 indicated in Fig. 19; a fashioned toe I8I knitted at station 4| upon said needles 1 and the needles 6 and 6, the butts of which are indicated in Fig. 19; a ring toe I82 knitted at station 4| upon the needles 6, 6 and 1; a split-foot portion I83 knitted upon the same needles 6, 6 and I at all three feeding stations 4|, 42, 43; heel tabs I84 which are knitted by the needles 6 and 6 at the auxiliary feeding stations only, the main feeding station not knitting at this time; split fabric I85, knitted as is the split-foot portion I83, which constitutes a portion of the ankle in the completed stocking, during the knitting of the initial courses of which 'portion I85 some of the long butt needles 4 and .4 are picked down to an active position in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described; a leg I86 which is knitted at the main feed station 4| only and during-the knitting of which leg portion additional needles 4 and 4 are moved' to the active knitting level; and finally a garter top I81 which is knitted with the full complement of needles at feeding station 4| only. Subsequently to the knitting operations just briefly referred to the tabs I84 are severed at I88, Fig. 18, whereupon the resultant tabs I84 are turned at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 17, the tabs being thereafter sewed to the foot portion of the fabric along the lines I89, the extreme ends of the tabs I84 which are represented in dotted lines, Fig. 17, then being severed from the fabric. After removal of the waste courses I the edges of the fashioned blank I19 are brought together and sewed thus completing the stocking.

Operation In Figs; 20-27 inclusive the various knitting operations insofar as the needle actuation is concerned are shown more or less graphically or diagrammatically. In Fig. 20 the long butt needles 4, 4' and the medium butt needles 6, 6 are shown as having been elevated, the needles being at the limit of their stroke in the direction of the arrow. While the shortbutt needles 1 alone are knitting at the main feed station 4| as indicated in Fig. 20, the waste courses I80 are being knitted. Figs. 21 and 22 show the paths of the active and inactive needles during the knitting of the waste courses. I Immediately following the knitting of the waste courses I80 the courses constituting the toe I8I are knitted during the knitting of which all the needles 6 and 6' are restored to the active, knitting level by means of the picks I30, I38, one such needle being restored to knitting position by a pick, preferably but not necessarily, during the knitting of each course. The action of the picks I38, I30 is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 23, 23a, 24 and 2411. As shown in Fig. 23 a leading needle of the series 6 is about to be restored to the active, knitting level. After engaging the adjacent face of the pick I30 defined by the notch I3I', continued movement of the needle cylinder, causes the butt of the needle 6 to move the pick in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 23, whereupon the pick, being mounted upon an inclined axis, moves in a downward direction as indicated in Fig. 23a, the needle finally joining the active needles thereafter to knit in conjunction with such active needles. The action of the other pick I30 is shown in Figs. 24 and 2411, the pick I38 acting upon a leading needle group 6.

To avoid the possibility of the picks picking end needles at each side of the gap 5, it is desirable to insert dummy jacks in the slots'of that portion of the needle cylinder designated by the said numeral 5. To accomplish the desired purpose, jacks may be used which are similar to the so-called dummy jacks referred to in the description of the Lawson Patent a r-1,458,833, June 12, 1923, attention being particularly called to the description in the said Lawson patent beginning with line 106, page 6.

Subsequently to the knitting of the courses |8| a few ring toe courses I82 are knitted at the main feeding station 4| only, the widening picks I30, I30 being at such time inactive.

Following the knitting of the courses I82, the side, auxiliary center guard cams I41, I41 are moved to an active position adjacent to the needle cylinder,/ as shown in Fig. 6, by means of the arms I 20, I'2I which are actuated from the pattern drum I29 in a manner hereinbefore described. Simultaneously with,.the moving of the cams I41, I41 to an active position adjacent to the needle cylinder, the pin and slot connections H5, H6, H1, H8 cause the earns 92 and 93 to be moved to the active position indicated in Figs.

. 25 and 26 whereupon the split sole portion I83 of the stocking is knitted. During the knitting of the split sole portion of the fabric, the needles 1 knit the instep of the stocking with one thread or yarn, being actuated or controlled by the cams constituting the main or primary feeding station 4|; the needles 6 being actuated by the cams included or comprising part of the auxiliary feeding station 43; and the needles comprising the set 6 being actuated by cams at the auxiliary feeding station 42. During the knitting of split fabric it is essential that the fabrics knitted at the said feeding stations 42 and 43 be joined with the fabric knitted at the feeding station 4| and to accomplish this purpose suture needles 8 and 8' are provided which are specially actuated so as alternately to knit at the main feeding station and at an auxiliary feeding station. In Fig. 25 the needles are shown at the end of their traverse in the direction indicated by the arrow, whereas in Fig. 26 the needles are indicated at the end of traverse in the other direction likewise indicated by an arrow in said figure. The needles 1 (exclusive of the needles 8 and 8') are short butt needles and knit at the main feeding station 4| only and during both the direction of traverse indicated in Fig. 25 and that indicated in Fig. 26, the cams I41 and I41 being in a semi-retracted position, i. e., in a position where they do not engage the short butts of the needles 1; consequently such short butts move past the auxiliary cams without being actuated. The needles 6 and B knit at their respective feeding stations only, being elevated above the stitch drawing cams at the main feeding station 4| by means of the mentioned cams 92 and 93, and not reaching the auxiliary feeding station "at which they do not knit, all as indicated in Figs. 25 and 26.

The joining of the fabrics knitted at the feeding station 43 to the fabric knitted at the feeding station 4| which joining has hereinbefore been mentioned, is accomplished by causing the needle 8 to knit one course at the auxiliary feed station 43, then to be elevated above the knitting cams by the cam 92 at the main feed station 4|, such needle stopping short of the cams at the feed station 42 as indicated in Fig. 25; and .during the next course of knitting occasioned by the needles moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 26, causing the needle 8 to pass by the cam 93 and knit at the main feeding station 4|, such cam 93 as well as the cams 92, I41 and I41 being moved to a semi-retracted position, i. e., where they engage the butts of the needles 6 and 6 but. do not engage the butts of the needles 8 and 8', the retraction of cam I41 permitting needle 8 to pass station 43 without knitting. Likewise the fabric sections knitted at feeding stations 4| and 42 are joined by needle 8', Fig. 25, which starts from a position between the cams at the feeding station 43 and the cams at the feeding station 4| and thereafter moves in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 25, being elevated above the cams at the main feeding station 4| by the cam 92 continued rotation of the needle cylinder causing such needle to knit at the auxiliary feed station 42, Fig. 25. While the needles are moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 26, the butt of the needle 8' is not depressed by the center guard cam I41, such cam having'been moved to a semi-retracted position as just described. Continued rotation of the needle cylinder in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 26, causes the needle 8 toknit at the main feeding station 4|, the cam 93 having been moved to a semi-retracted position as just described. The cycle is completed when the needle 8 moves to a position between the cams at the feeding station 4| and those at the feeding station 43.

The tabs I84 are knitted by the needles 6, 6' knitting at their respective stations 42, 43. During the knitting of the said heel tabs, the needles 1 are idle but hold their stitches, the center cam 88. being withdrawn at that time.

Following the knitting of the split foot portion I83 and heel tabs I84, a portion of the ankle is knitted being constituted by split work I85, during the knitting of initial courses of which some long butt needles 4, 4 are picked down to join the needles 6, 8 respectively.

Following the knitting of the split ankle por tion I85, split work is discontinued by withdrawing the cams I41, I41, Fig. 6. At the same time cams 92, 93 are withdrawn as a consequence of which all the needles in action knit at the feedthen turned outwardly at right angles as illustrated in Fig. 17 and sewed at I89, Fig. 17.

The heel tabs are knitted on the medium long butt needles 6 and 6' at the feeding stations 42 and 43. At this time the needles I which are short butt needles pass idly through the main cam block as illustrated in Fig. 27, the center cam 88 being automatically withdrawn at this time. The heel tabs will thus be formed as separate tabs or loops of fabric as illustrated in Fig. 18 and the needles I will merely retain their loops, the instep fabric being temporarily discontinued while the said tabs are being knitted. As previously explained these tabs are out along line 188 and are pulled out or turned at right angles as illustrated at Fig. 17. At the time the stocking is to be seamed up and completed the edges of the tabs I84 that are adjacent to the lines defining the suture in the split foot portion are the edges that are sewed at I89.

Whenever it becomes necessary to elevate the bracket 58, the same can be swung upon its pivot 60 upon releasing the spring actuated detents 12 from engagement with the recesses in the side faces of the bracket 58.

During the knitting of the split fabric the needle cylinder reciprocates through arcs of approximately degrees more or less; and while knitting the leg of the stocking at one feeding station the needle cylinder rotates during each stroke of knitting through about one and onethird revolutions. To avoid possible double knitting upon the same needles due to the extent of the reciprocations of the needle cylinder, suitably controlled cams may be provided, an example of which is disclosed in the patent to Hilscher #1,83l,773, November 10, 1931. However, the lengths of the reciprocating strokes of the needle cylinder depend somewhat upon the character of fabric to be knitted and may be varied at will and may be lessened by increasing the size of the needle cylinder.

The present invention in a broader aspect comprehends the knitting of a thread or yarn by several sets of needles, one such set, e. g., one hundred and ten long butt needles at each side of the machine while knitting one thread or yarn at one of the cam blocks duringsplit-foot knitting being continuously in an inactive position; another set of needles, e. g., the remaining ten long butt needles being inactive during the knitting of some courses but active during the knitting of other courses; another set of needles, e. g., the medium long butt needles being active and knitting during a plurality of courses; another set of needles, e. g., the suture needles being alternately active (knitting) and inactive; and still another set of needles, e. g., the short butt needles, being inactive throughout the knitting of the said plurality of courses. Furthermore, still another aspect of the invention comprehends the knitting of a thread or yarn by several sets of needles, one such set, e. g., one hundred and twenty long butt needles on each side of the machine, being inactive during the knitting of a plurality of courses; another set of needles, e. g., the medium long butt needles, being inactive throughout the knitting of said plurality of courses; another set of needles, e. g., the suture needles being alternately active (knitting) and inactive throughout said plurality of courses; and still another set. of needles, e. g., the short butt needles, being active (knitting) throughout the knitting of said plurality of courses.

Although the invention has been hereinbefore described as being applied to a knitting machine of the type wherein the needle cylinder rotates or reciprocates with respect to the needle actuating cams, it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to a machine of the type wherein the needle cylinder is stationary and the cams rotate or reciprocate with respect thereto. Furthermore, although the invention is disclosed by the drawings as being applied to a so-called circular machine, reciprocations of the needles or cams may occur along straight lines instead of along curved lines.

Preferably the leg and instep of the stocking are knitted with the same yarn, and likewise the portions of the split fabric knitted at the auxiliary feed stations are knitted with the same yarns throughout split work knitting, although in either case the several yarn levers at the three feed stations 4|, 42 and43 permit the leg and instep, or the split work portions to be knitted with two or more yarns independently or in plating relation if desired.

Obviously the number of needles knitting at the several feed stations during split-foot knitting or at other times may be varied, the number of needles included in the several sets of needles shown in Fig. 19 being there indicated by way of example only.

Although the yarn guides shown at the several feeding stations are automatically, independently movable to and from a position where they feed thread or yarn to all or some of the needles of the knitting machine.

This application is a continuation as to all common subject matter of application Ser. No. 187,- 056, filed April 2'7, 1927.

Although the invention has been described in specific terms, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited otherwise than as by the scope of the appended claims themselves.

We claim:

1. A full fashioned, circular, independent needle, knitting machine havingthree sets of knitting cams, each set having a yarn guide or yarn guides, and means for rendering the knitting cams of at least one set temporarily inactive, so that yarn will not be supplied to the needles at such set.

2. A full fashioned, circular, independent needle, knitting machine having three sets of knitting cams, each set having a yarn guide or yarn guides,' and means for rendering two of said sets of knitting cams temporarily inactive, whereby yarn will not be supplied to the needles at said two sets of knitting cams.

3. A full fashioned, circular, independent needle, knitting machine having three sets of knitting cams, each set having a yarn guide or yarn guides, and needles arranged in at least two sets having contrasting formations, whereby the needles may be selectively operated according to their formations at predetermined cams.

4. A full fashioned, circular, independent needle, knitting machine having three sets of knitting cams, each set having a yarn guide or yarn guides, and needles arranged in three sets having contrasting lengths of butts, whereby the needles may be operated at predetermined sets of knitting cams according to the length of the said butts.

5. A full fashioned, circular, independent needle, knitting machine having three sets of knitting cams, each set having a yarn guide or yarn guides, means for rendering the two oppo- 

